Seeing Versus Looking

The Key to Drawing Well

The key to drawing well primarily lies in whether you are actually seeing versus looking. And before you ask, the answer is no, they’re not the same thing. Much like listening versus hearing. Unless you are hearing disabled, all of us hear all the time, non-stop…traffic, music, conversations around us, a constant babble of background noise in our everyday lives. And the vast majority of it, we aren’t even really aware of. Listening actually requires focusing in on one thing and registering and understanding what is being said.

(Photo Credit: 123RF.com Copyright: Volodymyr Melnyk)

The same is true for seeing versus looking. Unless we are visually impaired, if our eyes are open, we are surrounded with visual stimuli, which for the most part, we won’t remember five seconds later. It’s only when we learn to truly see what’s in front of us that we can start drawing well.

The tiger is definitely a complex and beautiful animal. See past the details and find the basic shapes.

For example, most people who attempt to draw a tiger, start off with the superficial details rather than focusing in and seeing the basic shapes of the animal. More seasoned artists will always block in the basic shapes of their subject first. This becomes the foundation or the basic building blocks of the subject. Only then do they go on to refining the drawing, gradually fleshing out smaller details.

Practice seeing by finding basic shapes in the world around you.

A good exercise is, if you have disposable items lying around, spray paint the objects a flat grey. In other words, eliminate any superficial designs, patterns, etc. This will allow you to focus on the object, not on the details. Really see the object and test your observation skills. Identify the basic shapes which make up the object and draw them out in proportion. Once you have the basic shapes blocked in, begin making adjustments a little at a time.

This exercise, once you have the hang of it, can be used for anything you want to draw. Even if you’re not drawing at the moment, you can practice seeing versus looking wherever you happen to be. Focus on objects around you and dissect them into basic building block shapes. The more you practice seeing this way, the more natural it will become.

For a more in-depth FREE lesson, check out my Skillshare class, How to Draw: The Very Basics.